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Ranking Alabama's sports from 2013-14: Highlights of those who fell and rose to 10-13

Remona Burchell, Morolake Akinosun, Jenna Prandini

Alabama's Remona Burchell, center, wins the women's 100 Meter race as Texas' Morolake Akinosun, right, comes in second place while Oregon's Jenna Prandini comes in third place during the NCAA track and field championships Friday, June 13, 2014, in Eugene, Ore. (AP Photo/Rick Bowmer)
(Rick Bowmer)

TUSCALOOSA, Alabama -- For a third consecutive year, AL.com's Alabama beat reporters will rank -- in reverse order -- the Crimson Tide's 17 sports programs (men's and women's track and cross country will be combined) based exclusively on how they fared during the 2013-14 season. More than just the final record will be considered, but we'll be keeping the focus almost entirely on the recent past.

Our breakdown rolls forward as we look at the teams that largely showed improvement this past season.

This year's finish: 14-15 (4-8 SEC), lost in first round of SEC tournament, did not advance to NCAA tournament.

Two-sentence season review: Alabama never got it rolling in George Husack's second season and ultimately came up short of returning to the NCAA Tournament. The Crimson Tide sent two individuals to NCAAs, as Danill Proskura and Becker O'Shaughnessey qualified for doubles and Proskura qualified for singles.

MVP: Daniil Proskura (senior) -The Crimson Tide co-captain won his second straight SEC Scholar-Athlete of the Year award and landed on the conference's first team. He ranked as high as No. 12 in the nation and advanced to the round of 32.

This year's finish: Eighth at the SEC Championships; 39th at NCAA Championships.

Two-sentence season review: Dennis Pursley's second year with the program showed marked improvement in most areas. The Crimson Tide broke program records in nine events, improved its finish at SECs by two places and sent seven swimmers and one diver to NCAAs.

MVP: Kaylin Burchell (junior) - Took third place in the 100 breaststroke at the SEC Championships and capped her season with a seventh-place finish in the same event at the NCAA Championships. She was also a major contributor on a number of relays.

This year's record: 24-10 (11-7 SEC), eliminated by Oklahoma in first round of NCAA tournament.

Two-sentence season review: The Crimson Tide entered SEC play on an absolute tear, as it won 10 matches in a row to start the season 12-2. The conference season was up and down, but Alabama came away with four more SEC wins than 2012 and seven more than 2011.

MVP: Krystal Rivers (redshirt freshman) - The former Ramsay High School star landed on the SEC's all-conference and all-freshman teams after she appeared in every match and every set and led the way with 421 kills.

This year's record: Sixth at SEC XC championships; Third at NCAA XC South Regional; 10th at SEC indoors; 19th at NCAA indoors; Eighth at SEC outdoors; 18th at NCAA outdoors

Two-sentence season review: Despite a strong finish at its NCAA South Regional, the Crimson Tide did not receive an at-large berth to the NCAA XC Championships one year after it finished 44th. The team certainly redeemed itself during the indoor and outdoor track and field seasons, which culminated with another Remona Burchell individual title and the team's best finish (sixth) in the 4X100 relay since 1993.

MVP: Remona Burchell (junior) - Collected two individual NCAA Championships in a record-setting season. Her outdoor title in the 100 meters was Alabama's first since 2005 and she became the first Alabama sprinter to win outdoor and indoor titles (60M) in the same season.